Why Is Hell Not Talked About? NT Wright to Pope Benedict XVI's question (HD)

(HD) Transcript: "I think in the 20th century, the church in the west had a big swing away from hell, particularly because of the first world war. Having seen so much hell on earth, a lot of people thought, you cant really believe that will go on in the hereafter as well. And also, there are many people who have grown up in fundamentalist circles, either fundamentalist protestant or catholic, for whom hell was the defining thing. You do this. You say your prayers. You ...behave yourself. Or, youll be going to hell. - its rather like parents saying to kids, unless you behave yourself, Father Christmas wont bring you any goodies at Christmas time.
and so then people react against that and say, hell was used as a weapon to scare me into being a good little boy or girl. And really we shouldnt do that. Weve got to do it differently. So they back right off. I understand that reaction. It seems to me that the mature reaction, is ok, thats where weve started culturally and maybe Christianly. Now how do we re-inhabit what the New Testament is actually talking about."

More videos can be found at 100huntley.com and more of his thoughts can be found in his book "Surprised by Hope".

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[Quantum828]

I think it is quite ironic that all the unbelievers out there that deny God, jesus, his word, hell etc. spend their time watching these kinds of videos posting comments about there unbeliefs. I'm thinking, "Well if you don't believe in that stuff to begin with why are you looking it up/researching it in the first place." And then they'll probably come up with some elementary and sarcastic response like, "I can cause its a free country" or "To see how stupid you are" Just something to think about

[jsharp1701]

Christ spoke more of hell than anyone in the Bible, so it has to be addressed, as Wright says. Jesus seemed to take it quite literally so perhaps we Christians should. We just need to address it properly and not with horns and pitchforks and other extrabiblical imagery.

[samjenkinssam]

some sweet info here

[simysimss]

Very enjoyable thank you

[jimtrueblue99]

Could it be that the doctrine of Hell is preposterous and morally disgusting and implicates God in depravities that make the crimes of Hitler and Stalin and Pol Pot seem mild by comparison? How about that, N.T.?

[leapinglizardking]

NT Wright presents a refreshing approach from the religious side;"it seems to be...","it's not clear, but..." etc.

If he is an expert on the new testament and is admitting that it's open to interpretation,why can't the less "expert" followers?

This is a nice change from the self-assured certainty I'm used to reading.

[red666111]

@Quantum828 I personally watch these types of vids to see if there is something I'm missing; After all, the vast majority of the world believes in some type of god, so there must be a good reason. I'm looking for the reason. So far, the guy in this video is the ONLY christian I have found that talks sense. I still don't believe the bible is true, but at least if all Christians were like this guy I wouldn't have as big of a problem with religion.

[LukaOneill]

@jsharp1701

hmm you do realise pauls letters were written first, many years before the gospels, he only mentioned HADES once, and I'm sure gehenna had a different meaning rather than being a metaphor for the afterlife

[jsharp1701]

@LukaOneill I have read Borg. And Bell. And several others. And they haven't convinced me Jesus was only talking about the garbage dump outside Jerusalem. Only that they want him to have.

[LukaOneill]

@jsharp1701

he spoke of gehenna bud and i suggest you buy the book 'Speaking Christian' by Marcus Borg

[MrBoudreaux1976]

What's is interesting to me is much of what Jesus said about hell seems to refer to those who are claiming to be believers.

[manuelturcios]

@bpe1961 God Does not do the punishing, He doesn't SEND anyone to hell, if you believe hell to be a physical place or such. No, It's much rather a state of mind, deprived of the love of God that can never again be attained, what could be the worst thing in the universe than that, a hell. It's much like being at a party where you yourself have chosen not to be part of, not because the host sent you out but becaue you don't like the host and for your own self involvement don't want to take part.